Martin Gibson calls this progress, I beg to differ. It simply another form of colonialism, empire building by the powerful few and a sure-fire way of controlling the masses by controlling what and where they consume. It is repressive and regressive, and the only things that progress are the monopolies that large corporations operate with more and more impunity AND government assistance, as well as assistance from those of us silly enough to think that those saved dollars in our purses don't come at a terrible cost . I live in Maleny, I live on not very much money, but I'd rather spend my last $ on a basket of local organic produce from the co-op, than support those lifebloodsuckers Woolies and have a trolley- full of cheap tainted goods.